Ginseng Oolong Tea Description:

This fantastic green oolong comes from Fujian province, China and is not often seen outside the region. Ginseng Oolong tea offers a variety of aromas and flavors, is very aromatic and floral with hints of spice. The licorice root adds a sweet finish that licorice fans will love without being overpowering.

The tea leaf is sprinkled with ginseng and licorice root, and then folded many times so you will get many steepings from the same leaf.

Ingredients:

Ginseng Oolong Steeping Notes

We've specially selected our Ginseng Oolong not only for the unique flavor of ginseng and licorice but because of the manufacturing process used. Like other balled oolongs this tea is rolled and folded very tightly. You will note that on the first steeping it will only begin to unfurl its leaves. Be sure to steep multiple times, noting how the large tea leaves relax with each infusion, continuing to release licorice and ginseng flavor each time. Expect at least three steeping. Be sure to use hot - around 190° water - but not boiling!

Oolong Tea Significance:

There is enormous variety among oolong teas. Many countries produce oolong teas today and the leaf style, oxidation and firing, and ultimately the flavor can vary dramatically. Oolong teas are actually some of the youngest types of tea. It is believed that the Chinese started to really understand and control oxidation of tea in the 17th century, leading to the first oolong teas. Given that the first teas in China where documented over 3,000 years earlier, a few hundred years old is still young. Highly regarded Taiwanese oolongs only began to make an appearance during the 1960′s, when the Taiwanese realized they were losing market share to Chinese and Japanese teas. Taiwan needed to do something different to distinguish themselves in the marketplace. Prior to the 1960′s, Taiwan was producing mainly green teas for consumption by the Japanese.

The name oolong literally means black dragon, which refers to the shape of the hand rolled oolong tea leaves. There are other theories that the name originates from the Wuyi Mountains in the Fujian Province of China where it is believed that the first oolong teas where made. There is an alternative theory that it is named after the man who made the first oolongs, Wu Liang, and was later corrupted to Wu Long before being anglicized into oolong. No matter where the name came from, this type of tea is worth exploring for every tea drinker.

Significance of Balled Teas (Gunpowder & Balled Oolong)

The art of rolling tea leaves into balls came into being almost a thousand years before the partial oxidation that makes Oolong tea possible. Most modern drinkers of tea think of Oolongs when presented with balled tea leaves, but those were far from the first teas prepared in this fashion. Taiwan, which has the most famous balled Oolongs, did not apply this technique to commercial tea until well into the 1800s. Today Gunpowder Tea is not simply the domain of China as other countries, like Sri Lanka, also produce their own variations.